People Keep Talking

Having built an impressive grassroots fanbase with a string of self-released mixtapes and EPs, rapper Hoodie Allen finally drops People Keep Talking, his debut studio album. While he remains staunchly independent, People sports a major-label sound (Drake via Mac Miller), and even a major-label star: Ed Sheeran lends his nimble flow to "All About It." The production is take-no-prisoners pop-hop, with vibrant boom-bap beats mingling with bright pianos, chirping guitars, and wobbly bass. "Act My Age" is something of a mission statement: "No matter what I do I'm never feeling like a grown-up."